1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to elongated tool handles and tools, and more particularly to tool handles and tools wherein the elongate tool handle can support a tool at one end and is actuated or controlled at or near the opposite end of the elongate handle.
2. Description of Related Art
Numerous tools having an elongate handle are well known. Furthermore, these tools often include a handle which is extendable thereby allowing a user to operate the tool from a distance. Numerous such handles and tools are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,099,539; 5,088,147; 6,367,121; 6,260,238; 6,412,138; CA Patent 2,376,578; CA Patent 2,057,085; CA Patent 2,031,952; and CA Patent 2,035,484.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,539 and CA Patent 2,057,085 by Forrester and U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,147, CA Patent 2,031,952 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,238 by MacMillan all show adjustable length handles for flat finishers. These handles have a lever pivoted at one end and a box footplate pivoted at the other. In use a flat finishing box is attached to the footplate, the handle is adjusted to the needed length, and the handle is maneuvered to place the box against a work surface. This placement sets the box and footplate at an angle to the long axis of the handle and the lever is operated to lock the box and footplate at that angle relative to the handle. The mechanical complexity of these prior art adjustable length handles for flat finishers is typical in the prior art and increases maintenance costs of the handles and can compromise their reliability, thereby increasing operation costs. The lock mechanism in particular tends to be delicate relative to its performance requirements and range of angular motion of the box footplate is quite limited.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,138 provides an adjustable length handle for flat finishers. The primary structural components of the handle are two telescopic tubes. When the tubes are telescopically engaged each has an overlapped end and a free end. A box footplate is attached to the free end of the larger tube. The two axes of angular motion are perpendicular to each other and the axis of the handle. Angular motion of the box footplate about one axis is transmitted by bevel gearing to telescopic torque transmission mechanism in the handle. The length of the handle is manually adjustable and set at a particular length by a lever operated length lock assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,121, CA Patent 2,376,578 (MacMillan) also shows an adjustable length handle for flat finishers, with the addition of a lever assembly that engages a tube in the locking mechanism, preventing it from moving longitudinally and the footplate from pivoting on the handle.
Many of these handles are designed to attach a variety of tools to one end, for example a flat finishing box, trowels for cement or plaster sanders, squeegees and other drywall tools. These tools are particularly useful in that they allow the user to extend their reach in order to control the tool from a distance without the need of scaffolding or ladders, and to operate the tool on a work surface outside of the user's normal reach.
The use of such tools greatly decreases the time required to complete work by eliminating the need to set up and move scaffolding or ladders. Furthermore, it allows a user the option of working from a floor surface and thereby avoid working from a potentially unsteady scaffolding or ladder, risking a fall and subsequent injury or avoid the need for having numerous handles of varying lengths. The majority of such handles are mechanically actuated and require a significant number of moving parts which are prone to wear and failure thereby decreasing the reliability of the tool handle and subsequently necessitating maintenance.